By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Having a chance to play one of the top teams in your Region before May is a chance to learn about your opponent and revile something about your own squad.
Leaving the Brighton Softball Field with last-at-bat 5-4 win over the Arlington Lady Tigers, Brighton Lady Cardinals Head Coach Robin Jacobs was impressed by how both teams handled adversity.
“I know they’re going to hang in there and fight all the way,” he said of Arlington. “They took advantage of every mistake we made. We made some mistakes especially late in the game.
“We’ve got some good hitters on our team,” Jacobs continued. “So we felt good coming around the third time to bat. They took advantage of our mistakes and that’s what good team do. They play a tough schedule just like we do.”
The Lady Tigers were the first on the scoreboard in the April showdown when Gracie Brown smacked a triple driving in a run to put Arlington ahead 1-0.
In Brighton’s half of the third inning, the scoreboard read 1-1 when Timily David drove in her teammate Shakura Jones. Then the Lady Cardinals jumped ahead 2-1 in the fourth frame courtesy of a Jones two-single scoring Avery Billings.
Arlington recaptured the lead in the sixth inning with a two-run double. Leading 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, the Lady Tigers added an insurance run courtesy of a double.
Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Brighton started its rally with a Madie Perkins double. After Kelsey Camp was hit by a pitch, David drove in her second run of the game with a single to make the tally 4-3.
Brighton tied the game at 4-4 when Brie Howard drove in Camp with a ground ball. After Arlington intentionally walked Carley Cook to load the bases, Billings stood at the plate with a chance to be the hero.
But it was a pass ball escaping the home plate area that allowed David to score the winning run.
“I hope this was a Regional championship game preview,” Jacobs concluded. “Would like to have them back here in May.”
Brighton came into the week unbeaten in District 13-3A play with a 5-0 record. The win over Arlington improved the Lady Cardinals to 13-4 overall.
